System of a Down Marks Genocide Centennial With Short 2015 Tour, Free Show

System of a Down has announced a short 2015 tour to mark the 100th anniversary of the genocide conducted by Ottoman Turks against Armenian, Greek and Assyrian populations. The final date of the Wake Up The Souls Tour will be a free show in Armenia.

The band members, including bassist Shavo Odadjian, are of Armenian descent. Odadjian was born in Soviet Armenia (now the Republic of Armenia) and moved with to Los Angeles with his family when he was a small child.

For the Wake Up The Souls Tour, the band is calling upon the Republic of Turkey to accept the country’s role in the 1915 genocide and draw attention to how the genocide influenced other genocidal actions worldwide.

On its blog, the band tells fans: “With your help, such a historic step taken by the people of Turkey in the spirit of human solidarity, heartfelt compassion and justice will not only heal the wounds of one genocide, but will more broadly represent a truly transformative step toward a new age – an era without genocide.”